IL-3 yr old twins riding coaster 1 dies :(

My heart is just breaking into so many pieces HIs little identical twin was on the ride too and probably saw it all happen.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8050272

We went to The mall of America a few weekends ago with the kids including our 3 1/2 yr old son. We allowed him on the log ride because he was sitting in front of me and I could physically hold him if I needed to.
He was also big enough to go in the huge swings but he would have been in his own swing and No way i could do that I waited till i could sit next to him.
Just because he was tall enough doesn't mean he was mature enough....He was just a toddler, he didn't know how dangerous it was...
My prayers to the family and every spectator that saw what happened... I would never be able to get that out of my head

Oh my gosh I can't even imagine! That is so sad


You've got a brave one going on the log chute by the way. I don't think I could get my guys on that one.

Height requirement? What about age requirement? Were these children riding by themselves? Seems like it really shouldn't be allowed for children that young to ride by themselves.

jjenny said:

Height requirement? What about age requirement? Were these children riding by themselves? Seems like it really shouldn't be allowed for children that young to ride by themselves.

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ITA! That was my same thought, who lets 3-year-olds ride by themselves? That was an accident waiting to happen.

I saw the ride in the video and it looks very safe. We have a roller coaster like that near where I live and I always let my kids go on it. It just looks like something for a small child. The child was doing what children will do and wiggling around and not sitting still. I would never in a million years think that a child could be seriously hurt, much less die, on a ride like that. And I am a parent that sees danger every where.

I can't believe the selfishness of the lady quoted about how she didn't even receive a phonecall to cancel her reservation.

RIP baby boy.

"Shatesha Mottley just can't believe there'll be no birthday party for her 1-year-old daughter Tanyia -- the family drove all the way from Champaign, Ill., Sunday afternoon only to find Go Bananas closed.
"We paid a deposit and now they're closed, and they didn't even call me or nothing," Mottley said."
:banghead:

LinasK said:

ITA! That was my same thought, who lets 3-year-olds ride by themselves? That was an accident waiting to happen.

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Agreed. Whoever made the decision to let those babies ride alone is primarily at fault here IMO, along with the ride operator(s). And from what I've experienced at similar venues, those operators were likely high schoolers working for minimum wage.

I'm thinking someone wanted a cute photo op ("Oh look, the twins on their first coaster ride!") and parked their common sense at the door.

Velouria said:

Agreed. Whoever made the decision to let those babies ride alone is primarily at fault here IMO, along with the ride operator(s). And from what I've experienced at similar venues, those operators were likely high schoolers working for minimum wage.

I'm thinking someone wanted a cute photo op ("Oh look, the twins on their first coaster ride!") and parked their common sense at the door.

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Now c'mon, sometimes accidents just happen. Those kiddie rides *look* tame and most of them can't even fit adults. My kids loved kiddie rides when they were in that age range. 3, 4, 5. If a 3 year old is closer to 4 there is no reason they can't ride alone if the ride is safe. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents or the ride operator.

Once I was at a major amusement park and my then 8 year old son rode a kiddie ride that was sort of roller coaster-ish but pretty much just went in a circle on a wooden platform. He had a major panic attack and wiggled his skinny but out from under the safety bar and leapt from the thing, while it was in motion. Had the g-forces not thrown him from the ride he would have fallen back into the tracks and been crushed and killed. I've never been more horrified by anything I've ever seen. As it was he sorted landed on the platform as though he had made a parachute landing--he rolled, got to his feet, dusted off and then then took off running. The other mothers were also horrified and assumed he had literally been thrown from the ride, but no, he had jumped. I had to calm down the hoards of Moms that were storming the poor carnie's booth, screaming at him to stop the ride because a kid had been thrown off. Meanwhile my son was screaming and crying and hyperventilating.

It was an awful day. Reading this article made me burst into tears, because I'm telling you, I was like a split second away from this reality. However, children have free will and if you have a particularly skinny kid who can scoot out from the safety bar, it's not that hard. My kid was 8. Where do you draw the line?

There has never been a kiddie ride I cannot get in.

As for drawing the line.. I don't know. My children are 10,8,8,5 and 3. Every single ride they go on there is a parent next to them. Not in physical contact with them like with my 3 yr old on the swings and log ride, but next to them. I suppose we'll stop going with, when they are old enough to go to the mall alone or to our local carnival alone. I don't know what age that will be, i guess when we feel they are mature enough to handle such things which could be a different age for each child.

I can't believe that lady, but I wonder how she said it. Its seems mean. But you can never really read emotions. This makes me think twice about rides. I watched the video but coulnd't tell what the coaster did, does it just go around in circles? Seems kinda fast for toddlers. I dont understand how no one saw him wiggling and then standing, the attendant should of been watching to hit the stop button. My thoughts go out to his twin, and his parents. What a nightmare.

keeponsearching said:

I can't believe that lady, but I wonder how she said it. Its seems mean. But you can never really read emotions. This makes me think twice about rides. I watched the video but coulnd't tell what the coaster did, does it just go around in circles? Seems kinda fast for toddlers. I dont understand how no one saw him wiggling and then standing, the attendant should of been watching to hit the stop button. My thoughts go out to his twin, and his parents. What a nightmare.

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I was upset about the remark when I first read it too but then I saw her say it on video and she honestly didn't come across as mean and uncaring. I will see if I can find the video again.

angela said:

I was upset about the remark when I first read it too but then I saw her say it on video and she honestly didn't come across as mean and uncaring. I will see if I can find the video again.

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Angela, I sort of thought the same thing...she may have been ambushed at the door by reporters with no clue what had happened. She never mentions really knowing what was going on.

I've definitely been feeling generous lately...lol

peeples said:

There has never been a kiddie ride I cannot get in.

As for drawing the line.. I don't know. My children are 10,8,8,5 and 3. Every single ride they go on there is a parent next to them. Not in physical contact with them like with my 3 yr old on the swings and log ride, but next to them. I suppose we'll stop going with, when they are old enough to go to the mall alone or to our local carnival alone. I don't know what age that will be, i guess when we feel they are mature enough to handle such things which could be a different age for each child.

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You're a good mama. I'm just saying that things happen sometimes that in hindsight we think we could have prevented. I also think an assumption of safety on a ride with or without a parent is valid and doesn't make someone a *bad* parent because they trusted it--nor at fault when something freakish like this happens. I feel AWFUL for the family, I can't even imagine how devastated they all must be.

And people who say the ride operator should have stopped the ride this sort of thing happens in a SPLIT second. I wouldn't be so sympathetic if I hadn't been through it, trust me. I consider myself a protective parent too, my kids have just always had fierce independent streaks...and if I'm right in front of a ride watching them, it really didn't occur to me (other than at a county fair which can feel a little hinky) that the ride was unsafe. GoBananas, from what I understand is sort of like a ChuckECheese...indoor games and rides. Kids are even MORE independent in those places as parents feel relatively secure that it's enclosed.

What a sad sad tragedy!

I think the boys were too young to go on a ride without being in their parents sight. Obviously. It looked to me like the ride went into the dark... At every carnival I've been to the younger ones go alone and the parents stay right there to watch, and perhaps warn-- Sit Down! You're Okay! and so on.

I feel so bad for these parents, but especially sad for the living twin who has lost his other half-- his best friend and constant companion. How terribly lonely.

The amusement park is back open

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8061052